China expressed concern over the India-US joint military exercise Yudh Abhyas being held in Uttarakhand, about 100 km from the LAC.

Exercise Yudh Abhyas

• Exercise Yudh Abhyas is the largest running joint military training and defence cooperation endeavour between India and the US.
• The exercise aims at enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the two armies.
• Interestingly, this is the only India-US service exercise continuing in bilateral format.

Why in news?

• The disengagement of troops is still under process after several rounds of talks between India and China.
• Since beginning in May 2020, Chinese and Indian forces faced off in clashes with rocks, batons, and clubs wrapped in barbed wire at multiple locations along the LAC.
• Differing perceptions of border demarcations along the LAC is the reason behind.
• Each country seeks the withdrawal of the other’s forces and a return to the pre-stand-off conditions, but neither China nor India agreed to the conditions.

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Nepal has postponed the recruitment rallies which were to be held in that country to recruit Gorkha soldiers for the Indian Army under the Agnipath scheme.

Why has Nepal postponed Agnipath recruitment rallies?

• Nepal is of the opinion that this new form of entry into the Indian military is not covered under the Tripartite Agreement signed between Nepal, Indian and UK governments in 1947, soon after Indian independence.
• The government feels that the Agnipath scheme must be approved by it and for that political consultations with all parties in Nepal must take place.
• This is move is visibly ‘inspired’ with inputs from China.

What was the Tripartite Agreement between India, Nepal and UK?

• Soon after Indian Independence on August 15, 1947, an agreement was reached by the governments of India, Nepal and the UK regarding the future of the Gorkha soldiers who were serving in the Indian Army.
• As per the terms of this agreement four regiments of Gorkha soldiers – 2nd, 6th, 7th and 10th – were transferred to the British Army while the rest – 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th and 9th – remained with the Indian Army.
• A new Gorkha Regiment, the 11th Gorkha Rifles, was raised by India soon after Independence.
• The agreement also provides for the terms and conditions of the Nepal-domiciled Gorkha soldiers in the Indian Army and for their post-retirement benefits and pensions.

Significance of Gorkha Soldiers

• Legend has it that Hitler’s very words were, “If I had Gurkhas, no army in the world could defeat me.”
• An interesting historical aspect of Gorkha troops is that Pakistan, at the time of Independence, and China, soon after the 1962 war, had also requested Nepal for Gorkha soldiers.
• However, this request was turned down by the Nepal government.
• The largest body of Gorkha troops serves in the Indian Army while in the UK their presence has been reduced from four regiments to just two.

Can Nepalese Gorkhas in foreign Armies be called mercenaries?

• Mercenaries are understood as fighters who take part in a conflict for financial gain and usually are not parties to that conflict.
• As per the definition of the 1949 Geneva Convention, gives the officially agreed definition of a mercenary.
• It says that soldiers serving in sovereign armies are not considered mercenaries, and Gorkha soldiers cannot be called mercenaries.
• In addition, Gorkha soldiers from Nepal serve side-by-side with Gorkha soldiers who are born and brought up in India.

Have any changes been made in Gorkha unit recruitments over the years?

• There have been attempts to reduce the dependence on Nepal for the Gorkha soldiers in the Indian Army,
• To this effect, the composition has increasingly been attempted to be balanced between Indian and Nepal-domiciled troops.
• Also, a pure Indian Gorkha battalion was raised in 2016.
• This unit, 6th Battalion of the 1st Gorkha Rifles (6/1 GR), was raised in Subathu, in Himachal Pradesh.
• Otherwise, the ratio of Nepalese-domiciled soldiers and Indian-domiciled soldiers in a Gorkha battalion ranges from 60:40 to 70:30, though this will change further in future.
• A change was made in the recruitment rules for Gorkha Rifles recently when the Army decided that soldiers hailing from the Kumaon and Garhwal regions of Uttarakhand will also be eligible for serving in Gorkha Rifles.

What is the socio-economic impact on Nepal of Gorkha soldiers serving in the Indian Army?

• A major economic and social impact is felt in Nepal due to the Nepal-domiciled Gorkha soldiers serving in the Indian Army and much of it has to do with the remittances that they send home.
• Kathmandu receives a sustainable source of remittances from Gorkhas working in foreign armies.
• This has significantly contributed to social modernization in the isolated villages, while the financial remittances spurred entrepreneurship development thereby contributing to regional development.

Why induct Gorkha soldiers?

• Gorkha soldiers are tough. Living in the hills of Nepal makes them strong and resilient and they can stand war, climate and terrain better than most.
• No one can match their swift movement in the mountainous terrain.
• They are cheerful in disposition and nothing disturbs their equanimity.
• They are loyal to the core and fearless in battle.
• All this makes them amongst the best soldiers in the world and they are much sought after.
• Historically, they have deep rooted connection and affinity for India definitely due to cultural assimilations.

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India and Oman will carry out a 13-day military exercise with a focus on counter-terror cooperation.

Exercise AL NAJAH-IV

• This is the fourth edition of India-Oman joint military exercise ‘AL NAJAH-IV’.
• It is held between contingents of Indian Army and the Royal Army of Oman is scheduled to take place at the Foreign Training Node of Mahajan Field Firing Ranges.
• The previous edition of the exercise was organised in Muscat in March 2019.
• The scope of the exercise includes “professional interaction, mutual understanding of drills and procedures, the establishment of joint command and control structures and elimination of terrorist threats”.

India-Oman Relations: A Backgrounder

• The Sultanate of Oman is a strategic partner of India in the Gulf.
• Both nations are linked by geography, history and culture and enjoy warm and cordial relations.
• An Indian consulate was opened in Muscat in February 1955 which was upgraded to a consulate general in 1960 and later into a full-fledged embassy in 1971.
• The first ambassador of India arrived in Muscat in 1973.

History of the ties

• Oman, for many years, was ruled by Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said, who was a friend of India.
• Sultan Qaboos, the longest-reigning leader of the modern Arab world, died in January ‘2020 at the age of 79.
• He was a man who was, as a student, taught by Shankar Dayal Sharma who went on to become the President of India.
• Sultan Qaboos’s father, an alumnus of Ajmer’s Mayo College, sent his son to study in Pune for some time, where he was former President Shankar Dayal Sharma’s student.

Economic ties

• Expatriate community: Oman has over five hundred thousand Indian nationals living there making them the largest expatriate community in Oman. They annually remit $780 million to India.
• Bilateral trade: In 2010, bilateral trade between India and Oman stood at $4.5 billion. India was Oman’s second-largest destination for its non-oil exports and its fourth-largest source for Indian imports.
• Energy: India has been considering the construction of a 1,100-km-long underwater natural gas pipeline from Oman called the South Asia Gas Enterprise (SAGE).

Defense cooperation

Oman is the first Gulf nation to have formalized defense relations with India.

• Naval cooperation: The Indian Navy has berthing rights in Oman, and has been utilizing Oman’s ports as bases for conducting anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.
• Tri-services base: In February 2018, India announced that it had secured access to the facilities at Duqm for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. Duqm had previously served as a port for the INS Mumbai.
• Arms trade: The standard issue rifle of the Royal Army of Oman is India’s INSAS rifle.
• Bilateral exercises: Naseem al-Bahr (Arabic for Sea Breeze) is a bilateral maritime exercise between India and Oman. The exercise was first held in 1993.

Significance of Oman for India

• Oman is India’s closest defense partner in the Gulf region and an important anchor for India’s defense and strategic interests.
• It is the only country in the Gulf region with which all three services of the Indian armed forces conduct regular bilateral exercises and staff talks, enabling close cooperation and trust at the professional level.
• It also provides critical operational support to Indian naval deployments in the Arabian sea for anti-piracy missions.

Duqm port and its strategic imperative

• In a strategic move to expand its footprint in the Indian Ocean region, India has secured access to the key Port of Duqm in Oman for military use and logistical support.
• This is part of India’s maritime strategy to counter Chinese influence and activities in the region.
• The Port of Duqm is strategically located, in close proximity to the Chabahar port in Iran.
• With the Assumption Island being developed in Seychelles and Agalega in Mauritius, Duqm fits into India’s proactive maritime security roadmap.
• In recent years, India had deployed an attack submarine to this port in the western Arabian Sea.

Deterrent in ties: Chinese influence in Oman

• China started cultivating ties with the Arab countries following the former Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.
• Beijing has cultivated close ties with Oman and the latter was, in fact, the first country to deliver oil to China.
• As of today, 92.99 per cent of Oman’s oil exports go to China, making China Oman’s largest oil importer.
• Oman and China signed an agreement to establish an Oman-China Industrial Park at Duqm in 2016.
• China has identified Oman as a key country in the region and has been enhancing defence ties with it steadily.

Way forward

• India does not have enough energy resources to serve its current or future energy requirements. The rapidly growing energy demand has contributed to the need for long term energy partnerships with countries like Oman.
• Oman’s Duqm Port is situated in the middle of international shipping lanes connecting East with West Asia.
• India needs to engage with Oman and take initiatives to utilise opportunities arising out of the Duqm Port industrial city.

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The Army Training Command signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Gandhinagar-based Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) to develop a ‘Wargame Research and Development Centre (WARDEC)’ in New Delhi.

What is Project WARDEC?

• The project ‘WARDEC’ will be a first-of-its-kind simulation-based training centre in India that will use artificial intelligence (AI) to design virtual reality war-games.
• The Wargame Research and Development Centre will be used by the Army to train its soldiers and test their strategies through “metaverse-enabled gameplay”.
• The wargame models will be designed to prepare for wars as well as counter-terror and counter-insurgency operations.

Where will the centre come up and when?

• The centre will come up in a military zone in New Delhi, confirmed RRU officials privy to the development.
• The RRU will join hands with Tech Mahindra to develop the centre in the coming three to four months.
• The RRU, an institute under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), specialises in national security and policing.
• Located in Gandhinagar’s Lavad village, it is an “institute of national importance” – a status granted to it by an Act of Parliament.

How will these simulation exercises play out?

• Soldiers will test their skills in the metaverse where their surroundings will be simulated using a combination of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).
• In metaverse, the players will get a realistic experience of the actual situation.
• If a weapon weighing 5 kg drops or the air pressure falls, they will feel it like anyone would in a live situation, real-time.
• The game would play out player versus player, player versus computer or even computer versus computer.

How will the centre help the Army?

• The Army intends to use the war-game centre to train its officers in military strategies.
• Indian Army will provide data to set the backdrop of the gameplay, so that participants get a realistic experience.
• In Army, it is often said that the enemy can ambush you from 361 directions, where 360 sides are around the soldier, and one is above in case there is an airdrop.
• So, wargame simulation helps the Army think of all possible scenarios.

What promise does AI-based wargame simulation hold?

• Apart from the armed forces, the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB can also use the metaverse-enabled simulation exercises for better training.
• The use of AI can provide a totally immersive training experience as it can simulate a battlefield close to reality and map several eventualities in the probable event of a war.

How many countries use such wargaming drills?

• Since the 9/11 attacks, use of information technology-enabled wargaming is preferred by several countries like the US, Israel, the UK to prepare for possibilities in case of terror attacks or war.
• In March 2014, several world leaders, including former German chancellor Angela Merkel, former US president Barack Obama and Chinese president Xi Jinping had played a war simulation game.
• It was during the Hague Summit about how to react in case of a nuclear attack.
• In that case, the target of the nuclear attack was a fictional country named Brinia.

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The Indian Army has issued a Request For Information (RFI) for the supply of Articulated All-Terrain Vehicles to be deployed in Ladakh and Kutch.

What are Articulated All-Terrain Vehicles?

• Articulated ATV is a twin cabin, tracked, amphibious carrier for off road mobility.
• The special design of this equipment exerts low ground pressure on the soil and a pull-push mode of locomotion between two cabins facilitates mobility over varied terrains like snow, desert and slush.
• A ballistic protection in the cabin body ensures protection to troops travelling in it from small arms fire.
• They can reach where wheeled vehicles cannot due to deep snow, slush or marshy terrain and can be very effective for patrolling and rapid deployment in operational situations.

Utility of these vehicles

• These vehicles are very useful to move troops or supplies in snow-bound terrains and in marshy/sandy environments.
• The Indian Army wishes to use these vehicles in the snow-bound areas of Ladakh and in the marshy terrain of the Rann of Kutch.

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The 9^th Joint Military Exercise LAMITIYE-2022 between the Indian Army and Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF) is being conducted at Seychelles Defence Academy (SDA), Seychelles.

Exercise LAMITIYE

• Lamitiye, which in Creole means friendship, is a biennial training event being conducted in Seychelles since 2001.
• This year, it will feature a range of complex military drills, demonstrations and discussions, officials said.
• The objective of the joint training exercise is to build and promote bilateral military relations in addition to exchanging skills, experiences and good practices between both the armies.
• Both sides will jointly train, plan and execute a series of well-developed tactical drills for neutralization of likely threats that may be encountered in a semi-urban environment.
• The exercise will also witness showcasing of new-generation equipment and technology for conducting joint operations.

Significance of the exercise

• LAMITIYE is crucial and significant in terms of security challenges faced by both nations in the backdrop of the current global situation and growing security concerns in the Indian Ocean region.

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Various Defence Exercises in News

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A team from Gorkha Rifles which represented the Indian Army at the prestigious Cambrian Patrol Exercise at Brecon, Wales, UK, has been awarded a Gold medal.

Ex Cambrian Patrol

• Organized by the UK Army, this exercise is considered the ultimate test of human endurance, team spirit and is sometimes referred as the Olympics of Military Patrolling.
• The aim of The Cambrian Patrol is to provide a challenging patrols exercise in order to enhance operational capability.
• The event has evolved into a cost-effective, ready-made exercise that Commanding Officers can use to test the basic training standards of their soldiers, in preparation for future operations.
• It is mission-focused and scenario-based with role players used to enhance the training benefit.

How it is conducted?

• During the exercise, teams are assessed for their performance under harsh terrain and inclement cold weather conditions.
• They undergo various challenges in addition to the complex real-world situations painted to them so as to assess their reactions in combat settings.

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The 17th edition of the India-U.S. bilateral exercise, Yudh Abhyas 2021, got underway in mountainous terrain and cold climate conditions of Alaska, US.

Yudh Abhyas 2021

• Exercise Yudh Abhyas is the largest running joint military training and defence cooperation endeavour between India and USA.
• The exercise aims at enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the two armies.

Why it is significant?

• Interestingly, this is the only India-U.S. service exercise continuing in bilateral format.
• The India-U.S. Malabar naval exercise became trilateral with the addition of Japan in 2015 and further brought in all the Quad partners together with the inclusion of Australia in 2020.
• Similarly, Japan joined the India-U.S. bilateral air exercise, Cope India, as an Observer in 2018 and the plan is to make it trilateral in phases.
• Other than the Malabar, Japan had sent observers for the first time during Cope India 2018 as an Observer in 2018. s

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A contingent of 200 Army personnel will participate in the multinational Exercise ZAPAD 2021 being held at Nizhniy, Russia.

ZAPAD 2021

• ZAPAD is one of the theatre-level exercises of Russian armed forces and will focus primarily on operations against terrorists.
• The NAGA Battalion group participating in the exercise will feature an all arms combined task force.
• The exercise aims to enhance military and strategic ties amongst the participating nations while they plan and execute this exercise.
• In all, 17 countries have been invited by Russia for the exercise. Of these nine are Participating countries which include Mongolia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Russia, India, and Belarus.
• The other eight countries are Observers which include Pakistan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Uzbekistan, and Sri Lanka.

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[Prelims Spotlight] Various Defence Exercises in News

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Indian Army team comprising officers, junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and soldiers from the Dogra regiment will participate in the multilateral exercise ‘Shantir Ogroshena’ (front runner of peace).

The name very much suggests that the exercise is hosted by Bangladesh. But one must note, it’s a multilateral exercise.

Shantir Ogroshena

• Indian Army will participate in Multinational Military Exercise namely SHANTIR OGROSHENA -2021 in Bangladesh.
• The nine days exercise will start on the 4th of this month to commemorate the birth centenary of Bangladesh Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and mark glorious 50 years of liberation.
• The theme of the exercise is ‘Robust Peace Keeping Operations’. Military observers from the US, UK, Turkey, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Singapore will also be in attendance throughout the exercise.
• Military observers from the USA, UK, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Singapore will also be in attendance throughout the exercise.

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PM has recently handed over the indigenously developed Arjun Main Battle Tank (MK-1A) to the Indian Army.

Q.Discuss India’s preparedness for high-altitude warfare.

Arjun Main Battle Tank

• The Arjun Main Battle Tank project was initiated by DRDO in 1972 with the Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) as its lead laboratory.
• The objective was to create a “state-of-the-art tank with superior firepower, high mobility, and excellent protection”.
• During the development, the CVRDE achieved breakthroughs in the engine, transmission, hydro-pneumatic suspension, hull and turret as well as the gun control system.
• Mass production began in 1996 at the Indian Ordnance Factory’s production facility in Avadi, Tamil Nadu.

Features of the Arjun tank

• The Arjun tanks stand out for their ‘Fin Stabilised Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot (FSAPDS)’ ammunition and 120-mm calibre rifled gun.
• It also has a computer-controlled integrated fire control system with a stabilised sighting that works in all lighting conditions.
• The secondary weapons include a co-axial 7.62-mm machine gun for anti-personnel and a 12.7-mm machine gun for anti-aircraft and ground targets.

How is Mk-1A different?

• The Mk-1A version has 14 major upgrades on the earlier version.
• It is also supposed to have missile firing capability as per the design, but this feature will be added later as final testing of the capability is still on.
• However, the biggest achievement with the latest version is 54.3 per cent indigenous content against the 41 per cent in the earlier model.

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The 16th edition of Indo-U.S. joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’ is set to be held in Rajasthan between February 8 and 21.

Yudh Abhyas

• The exercise near the India-Pakistan border aims at enhancing cooperation and interoperability between the two armies and will focus on counter-terrorism operations under the UN mandate.
• The drill comes days after the air forces of India and France held a five-day joint exercise in Rajasthan in January.
• Exercise with U.S. Army is significant in terms of security challenges faced by both the nations in the backdrop of global terrorism.
• The joint military exercise will enhance the level of defence cooperation between both armies which will also foster the bilateral relations between both nations.
• It reiterates India’s key role as a key partner in the Indo-Pacific region.

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User trials of the indigenous Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will be held very soon.

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Q.Discuss why high-altitude warfare is challenging. Also, discuss India’s preparedness for a long-term war.

ATAGS System

• The ATAGS is a 155-mm, 52-calibre artillery gun jointly developed by the DRDO in partnership with Bharat Forge of the Kalyani Group and the Tata Power SED.
• ATAGS has greater than 95% of indigenous content. It set a world record for the longest unassisted projectile range of 48 kilometres.

Its features

• The gun consists of a barrel, breech mechanism, muzzle brake and recoil mechanism to fire 155 mm calibre ammunition with a firing range of 48 km.
• It has an all-electric drive to ensure reliability and minimum maintenance over a long period of time.
• It has advanced features like high mobility, quick deployability, auxiliary power mode, advanced communication system, automatic command and control system with night capability in direct fire mode.

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The Delhi High Court has granted 12 weeks to the Union government to decide on whether to scrap or retain the dual control structure for Assam Rifles. Presently it comes under both the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

What is the Assam Rifles?

• Assam Rifles is one of the six central armed police forces (CAPFs) under the administrative control of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
• The other forces being the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Border Security Force (BSF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
• It is tasked with the maintenance of law and order in the North East along with the Indian Army and also guards the Indo-Myanmar border in the region.
• It has a sanctioned strength of over 63,000 personnel and has 46 battalions apart from administrative and training staff.

Making of the regiment

• Assam Rifles is the oldest paramilitary force raised way back in 1835 in British India with just 750 men.
• Since then it has gone on to fight in two World Wars, the Sino-Indian War of 1962 and used as an anti-insurgency force against militant groups in the North East.
• Raised as a militia to protect British tea estates and its settlements from the raids of the NE tribes, the force was first known as Cachar Levy.
• It was reorganized later as Assam Frontier Force as its role was expanded to conduct punitive operations beyond Assam borders.

How is it unique?

• It is the only paramilitary force with a dual control structure. While the administrative control of the force is with the MHA, its operational control is with the Indian Army, which is under the MoD.
• This means that salaries and infrastructure for the force is provided by the MHA, but the deployment, posting, transfer and deputation of the personnel is decided by the Army.
• All its senior ranks, from DG to IG and sector headquarters, are manned by officers from the Army. The force is commanded by Lt. General from the Indian Army.
• The force is the only central paramilitary force (CPMF) in a real sense as its operational duties and regimentation are on the lines of the Indian Army.
• However, its recruitment, perks, promotion of its personnel and retirement policies are governed according to the rules framed by the MHA for CAPFs.

Why do both MHA and MoD want full control?

• MHA has argued that all the border guarding forces are under the operational control of the ministry and so Assam Rifles coming under MHA will give border guarding a comprehensive and integrated approach.
• MHA sources also say that Assam Rifles continues to function on the pattern set during the 1960s and the ministry would want to make guarding of the Indo-Myanmar border on the lines of other CAPFs.
• The Army, for its part, has been arguing that there is no need to fix what isn’t broken.
• Sources say the Army is of the opinion that the Assam Rifles has worked well in coordination with the Army and frees up the armed forces from many of its responsibilities to focus on its core strengths.
• It has argued that giving the control of the force to MHA or merging it with any other CAPF will confuse the force and jeopardize national security.

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There have been reports that a Special Frontier Force (SFF) unit, referred to as Vikas Battalion, has been instrumental in occupying some key heights on the LAC.

Try this question for mains:

Q.“It cannot be business as usual with China after the border clash.” Critically comment.

What is the Special Frontier Force (SFF)?

• SFF was raised in the immediate aftermath of the 1962 Sino-India war.
• It was a covert outfit which recruited Tibetans (now it has a mixture of Tibetans and Gorkhas) and initially went by the name of Establishment 22.
• It was named so because it was raised by Major General Sujan Singh Uban, an Artillery officer who had commanded 22 Mountain Regiment.
• He, therefore, named the new covert group after his regiment. Subsequently, the group was renamed as Special Frontier Force.
• SFF now falls under the purview of the Cabinet Secretariat where it is headed by an Inspector General who is an Army officer of the rank of Major General.

Is SFF a part of the Army?

• Strictly speaking, the SFF units are not part of the Army but they function under the operational control of the Army.
• The units have their own rank structures which have equivalent status with Army ranks.
• However, they are highly trained Special Forces personnel who can undertake a variety of tasks which would normally be performed by any Special Forces unit.
• The SFF units, therefore, function virtually as any other Army unit in operational areas despite having a separate charter and history.

Major operations conducted

• There are several overt and covert operations in which SFF units have taken part over the years.
• They took part in operations in the 1971 war, Operation Blue Star in Golden Temple Amritsar, Kargil conflict and in counter-insurgency operations in the country.
• There are several other operations too in which the SFF has participated but the details are classified.

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Amid high operational alert by the Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) India and Russia are scheduled to hold the bilateral naval exercise, Indra 2020, in the Andaman Sea, close to the strategic Strait of Malacca.

[Prelims Spotlight]: Various Defence Exercises in News

https://www.civilsdaily.com/prelims-spotlight-various-defence-exercises-in-news/

Exercise Indra

• It is a joint, tri-services exercise between India and Russia
• This series of exercise began in 2003 and the First joint Tri-Services Exercise was conducted in 2017.
• Company sized mechanized contingents, fighter and transport aircraft, as well as ships of respective Army, Air Force and Navy, participate in this exercise of ten days duration.

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In a resumption of bilateral and multilateral military exercises which were deferred due to coronavirus (COVID-19), India will take part in the Russian Kavkaz 2020 strategic command-post exercise next month.

Go through the list for once. UPSC may ask a match the pair type question asking exercise name and countries involved.

https://www.civilsdaily.com/prelims-spotlight-defence-exercises/

Kavkaz 2020

• The Kavkaz 2020 is also referred to as Caucasus-2020.
• The exercise is aimed at assessing the ability of the armed forces to ensure military security in Russia’s southwest, where serious terrorist threats persist and preparing for the strategic command-staff drills.
• The main training grounds that will be involved are located in the Southern Military District.
• The invitation for participation has been extended to at least 18 countries including China, Iran, Pakistan and Turkey apart from other Central Asian Republics part of the SCO.

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The Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) has handed over Sharang, the first 130mm M-46 artillery gun upgraded to 155mm to the Indian Army.

About Sharang

• Sharang is the 130mm artillery gun ‘up-gunned’ to 155mm, 45 calibre up-gunning based on the Army’s tender.
• The gun’s range has now gone from 27km to over 36km with the upgrade.
• It also has more explosive capability and hence and more damage potential.
• This step will reduce the logistic trail of the Army as it does away with the need to carry 130mm shells and support equipment as the mainstay of the Army’s long range artillery is 155mm guns.

Other artilleries of Indian Army

• After close to three decades, the Army inducted its first modern artillery guns system in November 2018.
• These include M-777 Ultra Light Howitzers (ULH) from the U.S. and K9 Vajra-T self-propelled artillery guns from South Korea.
• The Army has the older, battle-proven Bofors 155mm guns in service. The 155mm Dhanush towed gun system, developed based on the Bofors guns by OFB, is under induction.
• In October last year, the Army procured and inducted 155mm Excalibur precision guided ammunition from the U.S. which gives its 155mm artillery guns extended range and also the ability to hit targets with very high accuracy.

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